Football fans in Beijing came out in their thousands to see Lionel Messi as Argentina landed in China for a friendly against Australia.
World Cup winners Argentina will face the Socceroos on Thursday at the Worker's Stadium in the Chinese capital before Messi completes his expected move to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami. It will be the first time he has played for a club outside Europe.
In Beijing, thousands of fans wearing replica jerseys lined up for hours at the airport and the hotel to see Messi.
The friendly marks the return of international football to China, after three years of strict Covid-19 restrictions that led to the cancellations of a number of sporting events.
The game will be a rematch of last year's round of 16 at the Qatar World Cup, in which Argentina prevailed 2-1.
Tickets for the friendly game – ranging from 580 yuan ($80) to 4,800 yuan ($670) – were snapped up quickly. The match will be held at the 68,000-capacity renovated venue.
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Argentina's Lionel Messi with Leandro Paredes during training at the National Olympic Stadium in Beijing ahead of Thursday's friendly against Australia. Reuters -
Fans wait outside of the National Olympic Stadium during Argentina's training session in Beijing. EPA -
Argentina's Rodrigo De Paul during training in Beijing. Reuters -
Lionel Messi with Angel Di Maria during training ahead of the friendly against Australia in Beijing. Reuters -
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni oversees training. Reuters -
Fans wait outside of the National Olympic Stadium during Argentina's training. EPA -
Fans at the National Olympic Stadium in Beijing during Argentina's training session. EPA -
Fans in Lionel Messi shirts outside the National Olympic Stadium in Beijing. EPA -
Fans at the National Olympic Stadium. EPA -
Lionel Messi at the airport after his arrival in Beijing. Reuters -
Chinese fans cheer as members of the Argentina team arrive at their hotel in Beijing. AFP -
Chinese fans wait for members of Argentinian team in the lobby of the team hotel. AFP -
Chinese fans wait for Argentina players at the team hotel. AFP -
Fans wait for the arrival of Lionel Messi and the Argentina team at a hotel in Beijing. Getty
